Duff injured?

[bwagner]

Maybe he has a type for blonds/strawberry blonds
Keogh
Stokes
Mc Shane
Duff

[Fizzer]

Very strange decision, Lawrence or Reid far better suited for me, assuming it's only because he's had Stokes in squads before and wants to go with players he's seen which rules Lawrence out and that he's not budging on his position regarding Reid.

Agree it's a strange one. I suppose I can trust Trapp enough in his decision that Reid is not in his top four wide players. But Duff's gone, McGeady's doubtful and as someone rightly pointed out earlier, Hunt can be prone to rash challenges and could well be suspended for the Italy game. Just where is Reid in the pecking order? Are there any circumstances in which he would pick him? or will he just keep searching down the divisions for someone else?
Like I say, I can respect a decision to leave Reid out in a scenario where our 1st choices are more or less fit but to treat the guy like this smacks of vindictiveness. It's pretty shameful in my opinion

[Jicked]

It really isn't too surprising. In trap's mind, and I agree, Reid simply can not play in that position for Ireland. Yes he can float in a lovely cross, his ability from set pieces is great and he has plenty of other good attributes. But he is not a winger who has pace, can beat a man or willing to get up and down that line all day long. He simply isn't, and he'd admit that. So Trap's choice is to change the style of play we've worked on for a year if he put Reid in, or perhaps ask Anto Stokes to play slightly out of position, though he does have the attributes of pace and the trickery to get down the byline. Yes Reid is the better player, but picking Reid would change the whole set up.

Personally I'd have Reid in the squad as cover for the CM positions in case we're chasing a game late on, and I'm pretty sure the reason he isn't at least in the squad for that is to avoid the constant speculation and moaning about Andy not being pulled from the bench earlier, it would create a very strange atmosphere both during the match and in the week before with the press. But bemoaning Stokes getting called up ahead of Andy Reid is, in Traps eyes and considering the way we play, like saying its terrible Andy Reid wasn't called up to replace Finnan. he simply doesn't play that position.

[as_i_say]

Maybe he has a type for blonds/strawberry blonds
Keogh
Stokes
Mc Shane
Duff

Thats a blatant slander of stokes, kee-oh and duff.

McShane is quite clearly an all out ging-er.

[FootballsKing]

Do we reckon Stokes could see some game time on one of the flanks were either McGeady injured for saturday or Hunt banned for Italy like above poster suggested?

[Drumcondra 69er]

It really isn't too surprising. In trap's mind, and I agree, Reid simply can not play in that position for Ireland. Yes he can float in a lovely cross, his ability from set pieces is great and he has plenty of other good attributes. But he is not a winger who has pace, can beat a man or willing to get up and down that line all day long. He simply isn't, and he'd admit that. So Trap's choice is to change the style of play we've worked on for a year if he put Reid in, or perhaps ask Anto Stokes to play slightly out of position, though he does have the attributes of pace and the trickery to get down the byline. Yes Reid is the better player, but picking Reid would change the whole set up.

Personally I'd have Reid in the squad as cover for the CM positions in case we're chasing a game late on, and I'm pretty sure the reason he isn't at least in the squad for that is to avoid the constant speculation and moaning about Andy not being pulled from the bench earlier, it would create a very strange atmosphere both during the match and in the week before with the press. But bemoaning Stokes getting called up ahead of Andy Reid is, in Traps eyes and considering the way we play, like saying its terrible Andy Reid wasn't called up to replace Finnan. he simply doesn't play that position.

What about Liam Lawrence?

[rambler14]

How the feck can Stokes justify a call-up?

[boovidge]

I don't understand Stokes' inclusion at all...but in Trapp we trust!

[The Fly]

I thought I'd bring some much needed levity to forum...........

............whatever some poster's opinions are on Hunt's merits as player in general or relative to Duff, they pale into insignificance next to a fella who posts under the name 'Javier' on the eleven a side forum/messageboard.

Javier, bless him, thinks we should deploy Hunt in central midfield - where, and brace yourself, he believes he could or would be the Irish Pirlo.

Always provides a little comic relief that Javier!

[irishultra]

rofl

could you just imagine hunt sitting there gracefully spraying passes from left to right in a cool and calm manner

[Noelys Guitar]

Lets hope the Hunt that turns up tomorrow is the one who played brilliantly against MU last season at Old Trafford. He was the best player on the park that day when Reading drew 0-0. He is capable of a big performance. Lets hope he plays his natural game(We all know hes not Duff). Stays on the pitch for the entire match. And creates mayhem in the Bulgarian defence.

[Jicked]

What about Liam Lawrence?

People never stop to consider logistics, its not a game of football manager where you can just call him up and slot him in. Stokes has been involved with Trapattoni squads before, involved in the U-21s squads, and has a long relationship with Liam Brady. Liam Lawrence would hardly know anyone's names bar glenn whelan, let alone quickly be able to adapt to a system he's never had a look at before. If you were going to call up a new player with a view to them playing waiting till the middle of a double header isn't perfect timing.

[Drumcondra 69er]

People never stop to consider logistics, its not a game of football manager where you can just call him up and slot him in. Stokes has been involved with Trapattoni squads before, involved in the U-21s squads, and has a long relationship with Liam Brady. Liam Lawrence would hardly know anyone's names bar glenn whelan, let alone quickly be able to adapt to a system he's never had a look at before. If you were going to call up a new player with a view to them playing waiting till the middle of a double header isn't perfect timing.

If you actually read the thread you'd see I already made that point in Post #101, me suggesting his name again was due to the previous post saying that Reid wouldn't suit the game plan as he won't get up and down the flanks. My opinion would be that Lawrence can. And everyone has to come in somewhere, Andrews came in to the squad and scored on his debut (albeit in a friendly) and then started the next game. When was the last squad Stokes was in anyway?

[thepiedpiper]

I agree. He's our most important outfield player, I literally have never seen him have a bad game.
Hunt and McGeady are off form and volatile players even on form. We've no suitable cover for either, there's no sidestepping it. This is a hammerblow.

McGeady is in good form. Played very well against Rangers in CIS Cup Final only a couple of weeks ago and his form going into this match is good overall. Good hunger to his game lately. Wasn't great against Dundee United from bits I saw from this weekend mind you.

[tricky_colour]

Some stats, which I think are correct for 08/09.
Obviously stats are not everything but..

McGeady games 19 goals 1 assists 4
S Hunt... games 37 goals 6 assists 19
D Duff ....games 21 goals 3 assists 1

So difficult to say Hunt is a poor option going by those figures isn't it, in fact you would ask why
he was not first choice?

_________________________ NAME    GS   SB    G    A    SH    SG    FC   FS    YC    RC

McGeady    Scottish Premier League _   13    7     1     04     34    15    12    37    4    0
Damien Duff   ____   Premier League_    21    1     3     01     25    09    16    23    3    0
Stephen Hunt  _____   Championship   _37    2     6     16     35    14    42    70    6    0

GS: Games Started, SB: Used as Substitute, G: Goals, A: Assists, SH: Shots, SG:
Shots on goal, YC: Yellow Cards, RC: Red Cards, FC: Fouls Committed, FS: Fouls Suffered, SV:
Saves, GC: Goals conceded, W: Wins, L: Losses, D: Draws

[rocketballs7]

nuff said, 19 assists! thats phenomenal by anybodys standards, hopefully he adds to this at international level this week

Hunt - - Doyle = GOAL!

[tricky_colour]

How the feck can Stokes justify a call-up?

That was the first name pulled out of the bag, you can't put the ball back in the bag just because you don't like the name you drew out, all the selections are done above board, it's all very professionally done, infact a real monkey was drafted in to pick the ball out of the bag so there could be no hint of bias.

They had lost the darts so they could not use that method, beside someone nearly lost an eye last time.

[irishfan86]

While I am disappointed with Duff's withdrawal, Hunt does have his positive attributes.

He will bring more energy and positivity to our side, but with that may come some stupidity, and almost certainly less possession.

But while he isn't always there mentally, he is actually quite good technically. He can take a decent free kick, and his crossing is quite good as well.

I take the point about the dangers of bringing in a fresh face into such a crucial match, but at the end of the day Stokes has been a peripheral member of the Trap regime and I doubt he would be far better equipped than Lawrence to play in the wide positions for us in these crucial games.

I would have brought Lawrence in but Trap is the man with the experience, let's hope his decisions are the right ones.